Jon Niese struggles as Mets fall to Mariners, 5-2

Mets starting pitcher Jon Niese wipes his brow after giving up a run to the Seattle Mariners in the fourth inning Monday in Seattle.

SEATTLE – Jon Niese’s first start of the second half of the season– and his return from the disabled list – proved to be unlike any of his outings from the first half.

The four earned runs he allowed were the most he’s surrendered this season, as were the 11 hits, which were three more than he had yielded in any of his previous 17 starts.

Niese’s struggles put the Mets in an early hole and they never recovered as they fell to the Mariners, 5-2, on Monday night at Safeco Field. The Mets (46-53) dropped their third straight game and have scored just eight runs in their last four games.

Monday’s defeat came on the 10th anniversary of captain David Wright’s debut, and he went 2-for-5 with an RBI.

“A little rusty, I could tell I hadn’t pitched in a while,” Niese said. “I left a lot of balls over the plate, wasn’t very consistent with my delivery. Every mistake I made they got a hit. The outcome wasn’t what I wanted but the arm feels good.”

Niese (5-5) made his first start since July 4 as he had been sidelined with a left shoulder strain. While he provided length by lasting six innings and throwing 93 pitches, he didn’t have the command he hoped for, leaving pitches over the middle.

In a 1-1 game in the third, Niese allowed two runs, including a booming homer by catcher Mike Zunino, and the Mariners boosted that lead to 4-1 in the fourth.

By allowing four earned runs, Niese’s MLB-leading streak of 21 straight games surrendering three earned runs or less came to an end.

“He was a little rusty,” Collins said. “I thought he threw the ball fine. He moved the ball around, the only pitch I thought was real bad was the one to Zunino.”

This is the second straight season in which Niese has missed time around the midway point of the season due to issues with his throwing arm. Last season, Niese nearly missed two months from June to August after suffering a partial tear of his left rotator cuff.

After Niese returned last Aug. 11, he went 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA in his final 10 starts, and Collins hopes Niese can have similar success this year. Collins said the Mets are analyzing if any changes can be made to Niese’s program to prevent these injuries.

During spring training, Niese had two MRIs on separate occassions of his left shoulder and left elbow, and both came back clean.

“There’s no reason to think there’s any more danger,” Collins said. “I don’t think we’re worried about injury. I think we’re worried about trying to continue to keep his arm strong as best as we can.”

After a hot offensive stretch to close the first half, the Mets again struggled to produce runs as they have not scored three in their last three games. Collins believes the Mets are chasing pitches, and noted how they’ve been out-homered in each game since the break.

Monday, the Mets were slowed down by inconsistent lefty Roenis Elias, who tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball before leaving with cramps in his lefty arm.

The Mets had several chances to crack the 25-year-old, as they had a hit in every inning, but they couldn’t string together multiple hits. Wright had the lone RBI, as Juan Lagares scored in the ninth inning when Robinson Cano made an error.

In the sixth with the Mets trailing 4-1, Travis d’Arnaud drove a ball to left but Dustin Ackley jumped and grabbed the ball as it was clearing the fence to rob d’Arnaud of a homer.

“That was impressive, especially for an infielder to make that play,” Collins said. “That ball goes out of the ball park that might change a lot, change the momentum completely.”

INJURY UPDATE: Chris Young left the game in the middle of the eight with a left calf cramp.